The Tamworth Rugby Union Club might not exist today if not for Doug Campbell.
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Now the Magpies will have a permanent tribute to the man who was so integral in their revival after the Second World War.
On Monday the late inaugural coach, and captain's children - Stephen, Prue, Rod, Fiona, James (Jim) and Pip - and their families, erected a plinth and plaque at the ground that held a special place in his heart.
Regarded as one of the club's founding fathers, the story goes that when Campbell's then-fellow Northern Suburbs Rugby Club member John Carroll, who was also a member of the NSW Rugby Union, heard he was moving to Tamworth, he suggested 'attempts should be made' to form a rugby club to play in the New England competition.
It was the start of a union that would continue right up to his death last year, aged 95.
"Three weeks before he passed, he was here watching a game," Jim reflected.
"It was something that just gave him joy."
It was also "the place where he built community", knowing virtually no-one when he moved up from Sydney.
The Magpies' secretary from 1954-55 and president from 1956-61, Campbell was made an honorary Life Member in 1957.
"He just had a love of rugby," Jim said.
It was something he passed on to the next generation, Jim joking that "as soon as I was five I had my head in the back of a scrum".
"I think one of the saddest things is that none of us boys actually, we played junior stuff, but as adults we never got to play for Tamworth, we all left (town)," he said.
"But the thing was, whenever you came home you'd come down on Saturday and watch the footy with dad."
Unfortunately with the family spread all over - Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Port Stephens, Ebor, Coffs Harbour - they weren't all able to all get together when he passed away.
"We were trying to work out how do we all come together to show that respect to dad and we worked it out for this long weekend," Jim said.
A "long time" in the planning, it worked out somewhat serendipitously with their mother Rosemary passing away in August.
She was "in her own way" also heavily involved in the club, as the women's patron.
The family scattered some of her ashes along with Doug's around the base of tree under which the plinth will sit, facing out over the ground and between the main entry and the grandstand.
Jim said it was his father's wish that some of his ashes be laid to rest at Tamworth Rugby Park.
His initial request was under the goalposts.
"So you know, this is the next best thing; sort of looking across to the goalposts," he said.
"And I think too as one of the guys that kicked it off again, you walk in here, this is the entryway.
"Hopefully people come in here and they see that tree and there's that history."
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